(from Building Online Collaborative Environments, Module Two)
Using blogs as a tool for teaching is most effective not when teachers use blogs to share information with students as passive readers, but when students actively participate by creating their own blogs. Students should be part of the conversation, not sitting on the sidelines.
Elementary School Students: Blogs to Grow On
Is blogging safe for young children?
This is a question teachers will want to answer for everyone involved--their students, parents, administrators, board members, and of course, themselves:
Find out your school's policy on posting student work and names online and follow their Acceptable Use Policy (AUS). Often, districts will allow student's first names to be used, while others might prefer students pick another name to use.
Check your district's AUS on whether student photos can be used; some districts allow this as long as names are not attached to photos.
Use blogging technology that requires the use of a password in order to publish. That way you, as the teacher, can monitor and give final approval to anything that is published and make sure that no identifying information goes public.
You can use your classroom blog as a place to educate your students and inform your parents about your blogging rules and guidelines regarding what is appropriate in a post and what is not.
Why should kids this young blog?
Research is showing that blogging improves not only writing skills but students' confidence as well. Blogging also connects the child's classroom learning with learning opportunities outside the classroom. Blogging also has been shown to increase students expressiveness in writing, their use of humor, and encourages a more playful attitude.
Award-winning blogging teacher Vicki Davis cites 12 reasons why teachers should blog with their students in a very insightful post I recommend. These reasons include that students find their voices, that blogging teaches them a real life skill that they will need to be successful in this digital world, that blogging can help students discover themselves, andthat is a way for children to learn socially. Check out her Cool Cat Teacher Blog to read all 12 reasons and more ideas about blogging.
How do I get started with classroom blogging?
Also, see the excellent link below in the middle school blogging section to Pernille Ripp's steps to getting started discussed on her middleweb blog.
What are some ways that I can use student blogging for learning in the elementary grades?
You can be as creative with blogging assignments as you are with other assignments and activities that you do in your class. Of course, you will want to have a clear purpose for student blogging, and blogging activities will have to be geared to the age group you are teaching.
Many teachers use blogs to help students develop writing skills. They might have students engage in creative writing activities with question prompts, or write poems, stories, and opinions. Students can react to an idea, take a stand on an issue, research a topic and write a summary of their research. Blogs can also be used to report on surveys students conduct with their classmates and schoolmates, report on a field trip, or keep a class newsletter.
Some teachers are using blogs to connect with the world outside the classroom. Innovative educators call this the flat classroom because they are flattening the walls of the classroom to connect with people around the globe for educational purposes. Students can learn about geography, language, customs, religion, food and more from anywhere students are digitally connected. Students can connect with students in other countries to conduct polls, do research, share resources, etc. Listen to what the students in Mrs. Yollis' classroom have to say about the benefits and possibilities of blogging, in addition to how they learn about safety.
What guidelines do teachers use to help students know how to reply to others' posts?
Teaching children how to write quality comments on a blog is an important part of skill development. Edublogs recommends some general guidelines for student comments:
Write it like a letter--use a greeting, a body, a closing and a signature.
Use correct spelling, grammar, punctuation and spacing.
Proofread before you click submit!
Say something specific--give the blogger a compliment, ask a question, or add some new information to the discussion.
Make sure your comment is related to the post.
Never give personal information in your comment.
Middle School Students: Secret Lives of Seventh Graders Revealed!
They might be a little older, but safety is still a concern.
Ah, middle school. The awkward years, where their bodies begin to develop faster than their emotional maturity. I remember it well, as both a student, and, very briefly, as a teacher. And as my own nine-year-old looks toward September and her own first year in middle school, I'm struck by both her desire for more independence and her desperate need for guidance. It's important to keep this middle school dichotomy first and foremost in our minds as we encourage them to blog. Because, sometimes, a tween will reveal too much, too soon, and to the wrong audience.
As with elementary school students, our first consideration should be the accepted practices of our district, schools and administration. (Please see the elementary school entry above for details.) However, there are some middle school-specific tips to keep in mind when making blogging part of your middle school students' curriculum:
Blog offline, at least in the beginning. It takes a while to not only master the mechanics of blogging software, it also takes a while for middle school students to figure out what to say, how to say it, and how far they want to take the discussion. By keeping the class blogs offline and within the context of the "safe" class space, they are more manageable for them as the writers and you as the facilitator.
It's a classroom project. Keep it in the classroom. Some students may want to blog and comment from outside the classroom space -- home, library, etc. Don't let them, at least in the beginning. Keeping their blog participation within the classroom's physical space will consciously remind students that their words count -- and are being monitored. It will ensure a better work product, and make them feel more comfortable about what they are sharing because of the accountability factor. If some students want to start their own private blogs outside of the classroom space, encourage them, but make sure they are reminded often to be safe online. I would also encourage them to bring a parent or guardian into that loop as well.
Have them create a set of guidelines, and have them stick to them. One of the best resources I've found is teacher/blogger Heather Wolpert-Gawron's class checklist, which she helped her students create. Use it as a template to guide students as the create their own blog rules.
Monitor, monitor, monitor. I cannot stress this enough. Cyberbullying is real. Keep track of what is posted, and act swiftly when a problem arises. Leave comments yourself often -- it lets students know you're out there.
Why should tween and older students blog?
It's a valid question, actually. Perhaps the best people to address it are kids. Check out the video below.
How do I get my middle school students started?
I can't say enough about teacher/blogger Heather Wolpert-Gawron's work in middle school blogging. As far as I'm concerned, she's the gold standard in the how and why of blogging for students. I highly recommend her website, TweenTeacher.com, and I would start with the blog post, Blogging with Middle Schoolers: Frontloading and First Steps
But I don't have time for this -- what about the Common Core?
Standards-based education and technology don't have to be at odds with each other for classroom time and consideration. Keep in mind that blogging shouldn't live in a vacuum -- make it PART of the curriculum, and not in addition to it. Yes, it lends itself seamlessly to Language Arts and reading, but you can have them blog about any subject. Use blogging as a tool -- not a task -- to get the most out of the experience for your students. Take one activity per unit per subject and make it a blog post, align it to you prescribed standards, and watch the magic happen.
High School Students: It's a Big World. Write To It.
Reaching High School Students, Parents and Other Teachers
We all know that know that motivation for high school students has to be intrinsic. They have to see the need and benefit of what they are doing in order for them to muster up the motivation. As teachers, we can meet them half way. Why not incorporate technology that they are already using in their personal lives in the classroom? Teachers can blog about homework assignments, test reviews, helpful hints and reminders.
This is also the age group of students that often don't communicate about what is happening in school to their parents. A blog can open the classroom up and let the parents see what is happening educationally in their child's life.
Blogging can also help connect networks of teachers. Teachers can blog about their experiences, methods that they have used that worked or didn't work and their classroom philosophy. Check out a few teacher blogs. These examples will show that there are multiple ways that a teacher can use their blog to reach any level of students.
High school students often feel like its the longest four years of their lives. Why not help them get through the mundane day-to-day activities by putting humor into a blog post. Phil does this with his blog, High School Humor Blog. This could be a way to help the students work through and make fun of the trials and triumphs of high school.
The following video gives great reasons why a blog should be included in any level of education.
Blogging for the Future
US News says that high school students can expect to see the some changes in 2013. There is a push to better prepare students for careers and college. A high school level blog can help prepare students for the future.
For example, if a high school student is interested in becoming a teacher, she can blog about lesson plans and experiences with children.
Students can connect with and follow others within the same field they wish to pursue. Following and commenting on blogs that are in the same field could build a collection of resources for when applying to college or a job.
Student blogs could also be a resume enhancer. They can direct the future employer or college to their blog for examples of their work.
Reflection is a key part of learning. The students can post about how following professionals in their potential field has motivated and encouraged them or made them think twice about the field they originally selected.
High school level blogs can be used to help the students become prepared for the type of writing that college professors will be expecting. While blogs are not lengthy term papers, they will have the students focus on quality and not quantity.
Making Connections Worldwide!
Blogs give students an audience to write for. This helps give the students a voice to share. What is even more cool about blogs is that they are able to be seen worldwide! Classrooms and students can communicate to others that are literally half a world away. The Global Classroom Project connects students and classes world wide by giving blog 'assignments'. Another blog that helps connect students world wide is Connect all Schools Blog. This blogs tries to help connect educators, parents, and administrators to bring the world into the classroom. Bogging from students around the worlds opens the mind of everyone involved. New cultures and experiences are shared. British Council said this about connecting classrooms internationally; 'Communities benefit from greater social cohesion because young people not only develop a deeper knowledge and understanding of cultures and societies in other countries, they also gain a better understanding of different cultural backgrounds within their own communities.'
Home > Group A Workspace > Learning Activity 4-C-1
Topic: Uses of Blogs in the Classroom
Introduction
(from Building Online Collaborative Environments, Module Two)Using blogs as a tool for teaching is most effective not when teachers use blogs to share information with students as passive readers, but when students actively participate by creating their own blogs. Students should be part of the conversation, not sitting on the sidelines.
Elementary School Students: Blogs to Grow On
Is blogging safe for young children?
This is a question teachers will want to answer for everyone involved--their students, parents, administrators, board members, and of course, themselves:Why should kids this young blog?
Research is showing that blogging improves not only writing skills but students' confidence as well. Blogging also connects the child's classroom learning with learning opportunities outside the classroom. Blogging also has been shown to increase students expressiveness in writing, their use of humor, and encourages a more playful attitude.
Award-winning blogging teacher Vicki Davis cites 12 reasons why teachers should blog with their students in a very insightful post I recommend. These reasons include that students find their voices, that blogging teaches them a real life skill that they will need to be successful in this digital world, that blogging can help students discover themselves, andthat is a way for children to learn socially. Check out her Cool Cat Teacher Blog to read all 12 reasons and more ideas about blogging.
How do I get started with classroom blogging?
Also, see the excellent link below in the middle school blogging section to Pernille Ripp's steps to getting started discussed on her middleweb blog.
What are some ways that I can use student blogging for learning in the elementary grades?
You can be as creative with blogging assignments as you are with other assignments and activities that you do in your class. Of course, you will want to have a clear purpose for student blogging, and blogging activities will have to be geared to the age group you are teaching.
Many teachers use blogs to help students develop writing skills. They might have students engage in creative writing activities with question prompts, or write poems, stories, and opinions. Students can react to an idea, take a stand on an issue, research a topic and write a summary of their research. Blogs can also be used to report on surveys students conduct with their classmates and schoolmates, report on a field trip, or keep a class newsletter.
Some teachers are using blogs to connect with the world outside the classroom. Innovative educators call this the flat classroom because they are flattening the walls of the classroom to connect with people around the globe for educational purposes. Students can learn about geography, language, customs, religion, food and more from anywhere students are digitally connected. Students can connect with students in other countries to conduct polls, do research, share resources, etc. Listen to what the students in Mrs. Yollis' classroom have to say about the benefits and possibilities of blogging, in addition to how they learn about safety.
What guidelines do teachers use to help students know how to reply to others' posts?
Teaching children how to write quality comments on a blog is an important part of skill development. Edublogs recommends some general guidelines for student comments:
Middle School Students: Secret Lives of Seventh Graders Revealed!
They might be a little older, but safety is still a concern.
Ah, middle school. The awkward years, where their bodies begin to develop faster than their emotional maturity. I remember it well, as both a student, and, very briefly, as a teacher. And as my own nine-year-old looks toward September and her own first year in middle school, I'm struck by both her desire for more independence and her desperate need for guidance. It's important to keep this middle school dichotomy first and foremost in our minds as we encourage them to blog. Because, sometimes, a tween will reveal too much, too soon, and to the wrong audience.
As with elementary school students, our first consideration should be the accepted practices of our district, schools and administration. (Please see the elementary school entry above for details.) However, there are some middle school-specific tips to keep in mind when making blogging part of your middle school students' curriculum:
Why should tween and older students blog?
It's a valid question, actually. Perhaps the best people to address it are kids. Check out the video below.
How do I get my middle school students started?
I can't say enough about teacher/blogger Heather Wolpert-Gawron's work in middle school blogging. As far as I'm concerned, she's the gold standard in the how and why of blogging for students. I highly recommend her website, TweenTeacher.com, and I would start with the blog post, Blogging with Middle Schoolers: Frontloading and First Steps
After that, head over to middleweb.com, a wonderful resource for the 21st century middle school teacher, and read Get Your Students Blogging: 10 + 1 Steps to Meaningful Student Blogging by teacher/blogger Pernille Ripp.
But I don't have time for this -- what about the Common Core?
Standards-based education and technology don't have to be at odds with each other for classroom time and consideration. Keep in mind that blogging shouldn't live in a vacuum -- make it PART of the curriculum, and not in addition to it. Yes, it lends itself seamlessly to Language Arts and reading, but you can have them blog about any subject. Use blogging as a tool -- not a task -- to get the most out of the experience for your students. Take one activity per unit per subject and make it a blog post, align it to you prescribed standards, and watch the magic happen.
High School Students: It's a Big World. Write To It.
Reaching High School Students, Parents and Other Teachers
The following video gives great reasons why a blog should be included in any level of education.
Blogging for the Future
US News says that high school students can expect to see the some changes in 2013. There is a push to better prepare students for careers and college. A high school level blog can help prepare students for the future.
Making Connections Worldwide!
Blogs give students an audience to write for. This helps give the students a voice to share. What is even more cool about blogs is that they are able to be seen worldwide! Classrooms and students can communicate to others that are literally half a world away. The Global Classroom Project connects students and classes world wide by giving blog 'assignments'. Another blog that helps connect students world wide is Connect all Schools Blog. This blogs tries to help connect educators, parents, and administrators to bring the world into the classroom. Bogging from students around the worlds opens the mind of everyone involved. New cultures and experiences are shared. British Council said this about connecting classrooms internationally; 'Communities benefit from greater social cohesion because young people not only develop a deeper knowledge and understanding of cultures and societies in other countries, they also gain a better understanding of different cultural backgrounds within their own communities.'DRILL DOWN DEEPER: Blogging Netiquette
Click here for more tips about blog netiquette in the classroom.
Even More Resources and Links
Need more information about using blogs in the classroom? Check out these links!
So... You Wanna Use Blogs In The Classroom
TeachersFirst: Blog Basics For The Classroom
Kidblog: Safe and Simple Blogs for Your Students
Blogging? It's Elementary, My Dear Watson!
Blogging With Students
The Influence of Classroom Blogging on Elementary Student Writing
Curriculum Corner--Using Blogs With Students
Top 25 High School Teacher Blogs of 2012
Support Blogging!-Educational blogging